Electrical switch and outlet box mounting



Aug. 27; 1946. q. B. CQOPER' 2,406,587

' ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND OUTLET Box MOUNTING Filed May 10, 1944 INVENTOR V 1/Aco5 61 COOPER ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 2?, 1946 2,406,587 ELECTRICAL ISWITCH AND UTLET Box MOUNTING 3' Clzi ili1's. (Cl. 220-34!) This invention=relates'tfimproVementsinelectfiba l switch'and outl t bo r m te p b f Cally to mountings theret -When-wiring"'a new building structure for electr'icityfit is thepra'c'ti'ceofthe'electric'an' to' mount the various Weill switch boxe's "and outlet boxes in their respective positions memo the appli-' cation of plaster, plaster boarci, or other'thickt-- ness of finishingmaterial "to a wall or ceilin'g. It is desired thatthefront i'facejof "the box he flush with the wall or ceiling finishing material, "therefore it is difficult to "'dorrectly "esti'mate the distance that the box 's houl d iproject from it's 'support with the result th'afiwhe'nthe building of'awallor ceiling is fixiishdQtheboxmay ex t'end beyond the surface "thereof, or may not reach "the surface, thus imparting{an untidya'p "pe'aranc'e to the -w'all "or ceiling structure. It is thereforethe principal object of =theinvene tio'n to provide'a mounting for switch and outlet bcxes 'b'y which the box may he accurately adjusted to present t the open front "of the 'box :2 :vie taken approzii'mately 6:1 the "line 8 -6 er "Fi'gurefi. I I II II Referringto' the drawing "by reference oha jtis/and fatjprs'entto the f'orm ofm invention I "illustrateii in Figures "1 to l ir'iclusiv'e, the rm;-

1 merarmeesignate a conventionalelectricjalmtfa'l switch "box. The boX "FB is rectangnla'r in shape andopen'at its'Tro n't The'box includes "flat opposedside walls "l*I-'l I, a hottom wall 12, it'o'p "wall l3, and rear "Wall M. Gne 0t fthe side Walls "H "is provided with spaced parallel sl o'ts -15, the "js' am'e being elongated in a forwardly and rearwar'dly "iiiretion. I II II V fslici'ablyeupported by"the'slottedwall "of't he b jis anattachingr'and supporting bracket jlfi constructed of "a singl'e length of "flat bendable metal. 7 Thebraoket 15 includes a body portion "11 o faleng'th"greater th'anthe distancebetw'een 'the"sl"ots l"5'-I5 antlfof 'a 'v'vidth less than'th'e i-l'ength 0f the SI'OU S *Integral "With the ElldS Of 'flushwit'h the 'out'ersurfaceiof a Wall or ceiling I after it has been attached to its "support.

Another' feature of the invention is to twine an attaching means for lacljustahly mountin'ghan "electrical switch or outlet 'box upon its support without sacrificing th'e fire protective character-,- istics of the box as speci'fied loy the fire underwriters.

A further feature of the iiiveiit'ion'resides ma bracket mounting for :ereetnen switch and mitle't boxes which-may be fixed-ly attaclfedin an initial approximate position upon "its 'suppoft anii subsequently adjusted to an arcua't'e final pose "t-ion without disturbingtheattaehing means.

Other features or the invention are to proviil'e an-adjustable braket mounting for switch and outlet boxes which is "simple and inexpen- 's'ive of-bonstrution yeasy to attaohto asupport; and easy and convenient to adjust 'when in mounted position. 7 I

Ether novel features of the invention will come app irent as the following specification is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in Whih', V

'ig'ure 1 is a perspec'itveview of an electrical switch box with my adjustable "mounting asse elated therewith. I s

Figure 2 isa fragmentary ertical sectional View on the final-"2 *offFi'gure Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line 3+3 o'f'Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail -horizontal sectional "view throitgh a'wallstructure showing the switchboir in mounted position relative thereto. "I

Eigure Sis aperspective View offny adjustahle mounting associated 'vvith a conventional electrical outlet box.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional right angle therefrom are flanges l' 8 '-f| 8. Inte'gralfwith the flanges 1 8-48 and exten'giing-in "opposite directions rare attaching ear jl9- 9, ithe same 'b'e'ing. parallel to the "body portion 11 "and outwardly *o'fi'set relative thereto 'by the flanges T8 18. The corners o f each "earl9 are bent oiitwariily to provide pointed prongs 20- 20 which areitlriven i'ntofa 'wooden support to initially secure the bracket in position. 'Eaeh 'ear lai pidvifiectwithanairopenirig 21 to f adilil't'aite' passage of a'na il to effecta'finalattachrnent theflbrackt toitssupport I, I Y Freely passirfgtlirou'gheah'slot 'l5'is a-h'ea'ded screw 2'2, "the threaded shank of "which threads into an openi'ng 23 in the body" portion '1 lfo'f the bracket. iwhere'asivarious typesofsc'rews 22 may be useclffprfer a s'erewh'aving asquare' or he x a 'g 'onal head 21 "in ac'itilition t'ofa'keyZS. By reason at the [fiat ffaced head of the'screvv I 'arn "ableto in-see; 'aWr-ench'through the fopen front of the box Ta'n'd. impart the necessary turning movement tothe screw to tight'en orloosen 'thesam'e. lhe box is ;of asi ze 'th'at preventsthe insertion 'of a sere'traiive'rof aISi'Z'e su'fiic'ient to'reach'the kerfs ofthe s'crews 'for turning thereof. I

Tn -ortie'r to clos'e'theFs'lo'ts 1 5- 1 5 a an times regardless or the: adjusted position 'ofthe bracket is relative to the box 419. 'I'p'rovid'e 'a pairdfm'etal shiel'e o'rfilosl'lreinefiibers flzii"Whieh are-mee- 1y carried by the body portion H of the-bracket; Each closu-re member 26 comprises a flat hotly portioni'l h'tting against thebody portion -l'l jof thefbracket and secured thereto by rivets 28. The body-portions 21 of the closure members are provide'a with "threaded o enings 23f which ahne with the (marshes 2'3 to "receiv the threaded shanks ofthe serews zz. Integral "With'theends of the body'portion 2! are inwardly ofiset win extensions 2-9-29 which closely parallel the slotor rear ends of the slotted side wall H when.

the box is mounted in position for use upon. a support. The closure members 26 are of such length that the slots l5 are covered at all times to prevent sparks from escaping from the box when an electric switch is installed therein.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated the switch box II] in mounted position upon a vertical 2" x 4" Woodencolumn support A, which column support forms an anchorage for a wall B. It is customary when installing an electric lighting system in a new. building, to fixedlysecure the switch boxe in position before erecting the wall B. With the screws 22 unloosened, the prongs 20 of the bracket are driven into the support A at the desired height whereupon the bracket is in its initial stage of securement. Nails C are now driven through the openings 2| in the ears I9 to provide a firm positive attachment of the bracket to the support. After erection of the wall B, the electrician adjusts the box ID by sliding it forward or rearward to a position where the open front of the box is flush with the outer surface of the wall B. The screws 22 are now turned to tightening position by turning them with the proper instrument, whereupon the box is secured against movement. When the switch installation is completed, an escutcheon or cover plate D is attached to the front of the box in the usual manner to close the same and conceal the joint between the wall of the box.

-In Figure 5 of the drawing, I have illustrated my invention as applied to a conventional metal outlet box 30 having four side walls 3| and an end wall 32. with a pair of spaced parallel elongated slots 33-33 which extends in a direction transversely thereof. Carried by the slotted wall 3| is an attaching and supporting bracket 34 which comprises a single length of flat metal bent to provide a flat elongated body portion 35 which flatly engages the exterior of the slotted wall 3| and which is of a length approximating the length of said wall. Integral with the ends of the body portion 35 are outwardly extending right angle flanges 3636 having oppositely extending flat One of the sidewalls 3| is provided cars 31-31 integral therewith. The ears 3'|3'| corners bent outwardly to provide pointed prongs 38. The body portion 35 is provided with thread.- ed openings 39-39 which register with the slots 3333 to receive the threaded shanksof headed screws 40. The shanks of the screw freely pass through the slots 33 with their heads disposed within the outlet box. By loosening the screws 4|], the outlet box 30 and bracket 34 may be slid relative to each other for. adjustment relative to a ceiling or wall structure when the outlet box is installed for use. Initially, the prongs 38 are driven into a support, after which nails are driven therein through openings 4| in the cars 31. The ears 31-31 clear opposed walls 3| of the outlet box 30 so that there are no obstructions which might interfere with the hammering of the ears to-drive the prongs into a support nor with the driving of nails through the openings 4|. After the bracket 34 has been secured to a support, the

4 outlet box 30 may be finally adjusted relative to a ceiling or wall structure and the same held in such position by tightening the screws 40.

Whereas the bracket 16 has been shown as 'mounted on the side wall H of the box H], the

same may be mounted on the top wall l3 if desired for suspending the switch box from a horizontal support.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes in construction and design as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a metal electrical switch box open at its. front and having a flat side wall, said sidewall having spaced parallel slots therein which are elongated in a front to rear direction, a metal box-supporting bracket comprising a flat body portion of a width less than the length of said slots and flatly fitting against the exterior of said side wall in overlying relation to the slots and transversely thereof and having its ends extending beyond the respective slots, metal shield members carried by said body portion in overlying relation to said slots, each of said shield members being of a length to close the slot at all times within the range of sliding adjustment of the bracket, the end portions of each shield memher having spaced weakened portions to facilitate the breaking off of the ends of the shield member should the same project beyond the plane of the front or rear of the box when in an adjusted installed position upon a support, outwardly offset attaching ears integral with the ends of the body portion and disposed parallel thereto, and screws freely passing through the slots and being threaded into threaded openings provided in said body portion, whereby said bracket may be. adjusted forwardly and rearwardly relative to the side wall of the box to facilitate adjustment of the same during installation of the box in a wall structure.

2. In combination, an electrical switch box having a flat side Wall, said side wall having a pair of spaced parallel elongated slots therein, a supporting bracket for said box adapted to be fixedly secured to a support including a flat body portion of a width less than the length of said slots and flatly fitting against the exterior of said side wall in overlying relation to the slots and transversely thereof, shield members fixedly carried by said body portion and having free flat end portions extending from the opposed side edges thereof in overlying relation to the respective slots, each of said. shield members being of a length to close its related slot at all times within the range of sliding adjustment of the box relative to the bracket, and headed screws freely passing through the slots and threaded into threaded holes in said body portion.

3. In a combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the free end portions of each shield member has spaced weakened portions to facilitate the breaking off of the ends of the shield member should the same project beyond the plane of either of the ends of the box when in an adjusted installed position.

JACOB B. COOPER. 

